


Nuke and ThreeGulls Sketches

by CookieDoughMe



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Multi, heavy nuke emphasis and threegulls too with a smattering of others, little snippets or sketches, more detailed tags with each chapter, range of themes; AUs; timeslines etc, selection of little prompt responses, some mild smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-30 18:56:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 8,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12115080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookieDoughMe/pseuds/CookieDoughMe
Summary: I came acrossthis prompt listand thoughtNuke!And thenI wonder if I could write a little something for each one?And then I did :)There is a lot of Nuke, some Three Gulls, some with other relationships, or none. Lengths and subject matter vary; there is fluff and angst and a little smut, and probably other things besides. Some canon-compliant, some from a wide range of contradictory AUs, all kinds of time periods. Something for everyone probably. I'll add more specific descriptions and warnings in the chapter summaries where needed. The chapter titles are the prompts.They are all just little snippets; sketches really, but hopefully the settings all make sense. Feel free to ask questions if not!!





	1. “It’s really not that complicated.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke + audrey #gen

“It's really not that complicated,” sighed Audrey. “We're just talking about a few hours in each other’s company without shouting or sniping at each other. You’re both grown men aren’t you?”

“One of us anyway,” mumbled Nathan.

“See! Why should I put up with …?” Duke lept on the chance to score a point against Nathan.

“Stop it!” Audrey interrupted. “Stop it both of you, or I’m going to just shut you in here and take the key with me.”


	2. “Close the door.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #smut(ish)

“Hey, everything OK?” asked Nathan, as Duke walked into his office.

“Yeah. You?” asked Duke, studying Nathan carefully for his response.

“Busy - too much paperwork. No disasters,” he clarified.

“Good. I didn’t come here for disasters. And I didn’t come here for paperwork either.” Duke’s tone of voice left Nathan in no doubt as to what he had actually come there for. Nathan felt his heart ramp up a notch, realised his cheeks were probably a shade redder.

“I’m  _ working _ Duke and this is the …”

“I know where we are. And I know what you like.” Again with that tone of voice. Suggestive, insistent, frankly filthy; Nathan knew that Duke was aware what it did to him.

“I know you do, but …”

“Tell me to go, if you want.”

“I … it’s just ...”

“Close the door.”

Nathan stood there, looking at Duke and the door, stuck between the sensible paperwork-based option and the risky but fun one, stuck between doing what he thought he should do and what he actually wanted. 

He took a couple of steps forward, closed the office door and turned back to look at Duke.


	3. “It’s three in the morning.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #threegulls #fluff #domestic fluff

“Nathan!” Duke whispered. “Nathan!!”

“I think he’s asleep!” Audrey added in a drunken-attempt at a whisper that was really no quieter than her normal voice.

Duke shook Nathan’s shoulder through the blankets, gently at first, then harder. “Nathan! It’s important!”

“Hmmmw’t’sthat?” mumbled Nathan.

“Nathan! We need your help,” Audrey said, prompting them both into vigorous head-nodding as they agreed with each other, which they then abruptly stopped as the room started to spin around them.

Nathan pushed his hands through his hair and sat up a little, looking at the alarm clock as he did so. “It’s three in the morning,” he said. “And you are both very drunk.”

“No!” said Duke. “Well, yes. But! That is not why we woke you.”

“Why then?” asked Nathan amiably, wondering what the response would be. He would have preferred to sleep through the night, but they both looked so adorable, staring at him with the kind of intense and dishevelled look only achievable through the application of plenty of alcohol in the early hours of the morning.

“‘t’s very important, we have to ask you …” Duke began, and then faltered.

“Yes ..?” prompted Nathan.

“I … Audrey … you ask him.”

“I … um …. we …. No! We don’t need t’ask him. We need to  _ tell _ him!”

“Oh right, yeah,” agreed Duke, nodding seriously. “Nathan … we have to tell you that we both think you’re really hot.”

He grinned at them. “Yeah, well you’re not so bad yourself. Either of you. Now come here.”

He pulled them to him and they collapsed on the bed around him, snoring gently before he’d even closed his eyes. 

He was going to have fun reminding them of this in the morning.


	4. “I should have told you a long time ago.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> # reference to canon-compliant major character death # which in this case turns out to be temporary #threegulls #angst

Now that the Troubles are over for good, and Croatoan is gone into the new barn, Nathan and Audrey sit with Duke in the still-battered Gull at the end of the day. The immediate disasters over, they finally have a moment to process recent events and the intensity of the emotions that went with them.

Strangely this involves a lot of sitting in silence, staring into glasses they only occasionally drink from.

Duke breaks the quiet this time. “When you … when I was, dying… what you said to me … I didn't expect…”

“I should have told you a long time ago,” cut in Nathan. “We would have been dead, Haven lost a long time ago if it weren't for you. Doing that was the hardest thing I ever…”

Duke rested his hand on Nathan's, knowing that now he could feel it. “It's OK,” he said. “You got Croatoan to bring me back. And here we are.”

Audrey raised her glass at that, and they toasted to their continued existence.


	5. “Why are you helping me?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke + helpful snarking

“Why are you helping me?” asked Duke, wary of the unexpected helpfulness of Nathan. “You don't even know what's in these boxes, you could be unloading illegal cargo right now.”

“Am I?”

“No, but …”

“Well then. Could you use the help?”

“Yes, but…”

“Shut up and let me help then.”

“Is this your way of apologising for nearly getting me shot yesterday? Because I told you it's fine. I'm fine; he totally missed.”

“It's not fine, Duke. I was reckless, and I told you I'm sorry.”

“And now you're apologising with helping. OK. I should get nearly-shot more often.”


	6. “You have to leave right now.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #smut(ish) (I guess?) #I am not very good at categorising things

“Nate, don't do this to me. You can't… you can't do this and not be serious. You can't do this and not mean it.”

Nathan was stood close enough that Duke could feel the heat coming off his body, and the expression on his face said it was still nowhere near close enough. Duke did not know what to do with this, did not know how to process this from a man who surely could not possibly mean it.

Nathan leant forward and kissed Duke on the lips, quick, fleeting, but passionate all the same.

“You … I …” Duke clenched his fists at his sides, trying to form the words. “Unless you intend to follow through on what that means, you have to leave right now. I don't mean, the physical side, I just mean .... Nathan, I've wanted you for so long, I don't know how I would cope with just a taste if that's all you're going to let me have. This can't be just tonight, this can't be just a fling. You can't do this to me and not mean it,” he said again.

Nathan looked at him, his eyes flicking from one of Duke’s to the other. “I mean it,” he said. “I want you too, I always have.”

Duke looked back, taking this in, processing it. It wouldn't be like Nathan to say something like that he didn't mean.

Duke uncurled his fists, brought his hands to Nathan's jaw and kissed him hard, Nathan kissing back as they fell to the sofa behind them in a tangle of limbs.


	7. “Just trust me.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are two versions of this one, in which Nathan always trusts Duke, even if he hides it quite well.

“What are these things, zombies?”

“Guess so,” said Nathan, given no other concept seemed to apply.

“Where'd they come from?”

“Audrey has a theory. She's talking to some Max Brooks fan now.”

“Well OK, but these aren't much like the World War Z zombies, they're too slow,” Duke pointed out.

Hunched against the door, holding it closed against the mountain of apparently dead flesh pushing against it from the other side, Nathan was not really in the mood to discuss different zombie varieties.

“Wouldn't know. Haven't seen it.”

“Dude. Do not watch the movie first. Read the book; it's scary as hell, but it's a great novel.”

Nathan was not convinced about this and communicated his doubt with a look.

“Just trust me,” said Duke. “Assuming we don't get eaten, I'm lending you my copy. It's a lesson in why we should appreciate the brief bouts of normality the Troubles give us, if nothing else.”

 

\--

**And have a bonus second version, because I forgot I’d written something for this already, and thought of another one:**

 

“W-what’s going on? Who are you?”

Duke swore under his breath. “Nathan? It’s OK.”

“How do you know my name?”

“It’s a long story, but I’m trying to help, OK? You just … you just need to trust me.”

Nathan shook his head, looking frantically around him, trying to find something he recognised, trying to spot something to make sense of where he was. But there was nothing he knew.

“I know you don’t remember me, but we know each other. You can trust me. I’m trying to help. Just … please just trust me.”

Nathan looked at him. He didn’t know this man, did he? He looked somehow familiar, but Nathan wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing.

“Nathan, just … please.”

“What do you want me to do?” asked Nathan warily.

“There’s someone who can help you, who can explain everything. I can take you to her, if you’ll let me.”

Nathan eyed him carefully. “I think .. I know you, but I’m not sure if I like you.”

“That’s OK Nathan, I’m not asking you to like me. I’m just asking you to trust me.”

Nathan nodded. Somehow that made sense. “OK,” he said. “Let’s go.”


	8. “I’ve been waiting a long time.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #angst #post-series AU #27 years post-series #nathan's pov #audrey as an overlay #barn-related angst

Nathan's known this was coming. The signs started a while ago, and he lost his sense of touch again a few months back. He just didn't know exactly when she would get here. He's been trying to prepare his detectives for the craziness the Troubles will bring, but they think it's all myth and they're not keen to listen; they're so young. Was he ever that young, he wonders.

The only person he can talk to about it is Duke. They sit together and drink, wondering what name she will have this time, wondering what event will bring her to Haven.

When Duke calls him with the news, it's not what he expected. “I just spoke to Claire,” Duke tells him. “She heard a new psychologist is starting a placement at the Freddy. She's due to be meeting with her, so she looked her up. It's her Nathan; it's  _ her _ .”

Though he can't feel it, Nathan knows his breath has tightened in his throat, because his voice comes out all wrong.

“When?” he croaks. 

“Next week, she says. We weren't sure whether to tell you right away or to leave it, but … I didn't want you to find out from somebody else.”

“It's OK,” says Nathan, “I've been waiting a long time. I can wait another week.”


	9. “You’re in love with her.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nathan and duke and falling in love with audrey

“You're in love with her.”

“I can't help how I feel.”

“Interesting word choice.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” asked Nathan trying to glare at Duke from over his shoulder.

“The only person you can feel? That's got to draw you to her,” Duke replied, trying again to reach the knots in the rope that tied his wrists to Nathan's.

“Oh yeah? Then what's your excuse?”

“What?” Duke asked. He was starting to feel that this line of conversation had been a mistake, but they'd been here for hours and apparently this was the result of too much time to think.

“I've seen the way you look at her,” said Nathan. “And I know it's not just the way you look at beautiful women in general; you're in love with her too.”

“Well, what if I am? Who wouldn't be? She's smart, determined, funny, brave.”

“She's going to get us out of here you know,” said Nathan with conviction. 

“Of course she is.”

“And then?”

“What do you mean?” asked Duke, confused.

“The brave thing to do would to tell her how we feel.”

“Yeah, well. Let's get out of here first.”

“Hmmm,” agreed Nathan, and tried again to twist his hand towards the knots of rope.


	10. “Come here.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #because for either of them it's basically that simple

“Come here,” she said. 

So I did.


	11. “We could get arrested for this.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> # underage drinking # nuke

“What is that?”

“Vodka,” replied Duke. “Took it from Dad's stash; he'll never notice. Here.”

Nathan took the generous shot Duke offered. He'd never had hard liquor before. He knew Duke had, though they were still a few years away from being legal. “We could get arrested for this,” Nathan pointed out.

“pfft. The cops have got better things to do, believe me.”

Nathan didn't have an argument for that, so he drained the glass. He coughed as he handed it back to Duke. “Thanks,” he said. 

“You want another?” Duke asked.

“Nah.”

“Come on, it's supposed to be a party.”

“No thanks. Besides if you're gonna keep drinking it, then someone needs to keep an eye out for you.”

“Oh, you my guardian angel now?”

“Not quite. But maybe I can stop you from getting arrested.”


	12. “What are you thinking about?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #pre-series AU #smut(ish)

Nathan sat at the end of the bar in the Rust Bucket, picking at the label on his half-empty beer. He didn’t really like this place, and he didn’t really like this beer, but it was where Duke worked, so here he was.

“What are you thinking about?” asked Duke in a brief break between customers. “You look miles away.”

“You,” said Nathan. “I was thinking about you.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” 

“Like all the things I’m going to do to you once your shift ends. All the things you might do to me.”

Duke looked up at the clock on the wall. “Another hour to go. So help me pass the time. What, specifically, are you thinking about?”

“The way the muscles in your back move. The way your breath catches when I find that ticklish spot on your neck. The shape of your shoulders and the taste of your lips.”

Duke ran his tongue over his own lips as he watched Nathan talk. “So what are you going to do to me first?”

“Get you naked. I want to study that tattoo you got.”

“You coming back to my place then?”

Nathan nodded and looked at the clock. “Fifty-five minutes to go,” he said.


	13. “I thought you were dead.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #unacknowledged feelings

Duke was loading cargo onto the Rouge. He turned to shift a box further into its corner and as he turned back around to grab another one, he got an armful of Nathan instead, gripping him hard. This was unexpected; last time he'd seen Nathan he'd been arresting him.

“Um?” mumbled Duke.

Suddenly, Nathan stepped back. “Sorry, just … I thought you were dead. There's a Trouble, but I couldn't tell. Wasn't sure.”

“So you came to check your favourite criminal is still breathing. Worried about your arrest quota for next month?” Duke quipped, but Nathan just kept staring at him like he wanted to burn the image into his brain.

“I'm glad you're OK Duke,” he said, and then he turned and went.

Duke watched him go, thinking  _ Well that was strange. _


	14. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff

“You're never going to let that go, are you?” 

“Well I can't believe you would just …”

“Clearly. And yet equally clearly, I did,” pointed out Nathan.

“OK, but I mean …”

“It was a long time ago, Duke. Surely it's not important any more?”

“Important, no. Funny, yes.”

Nathan just glared.

Duke pulled him over for a hug, realising it was time to make up. “I'm never going to let you go either, if that helps?” he grinned.


	15. “Was that supposed to hurt?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke # reference to canon-compliant violence # and canon-compliant fishing trips #angst

Nathan could not believe that he had been so stupid. He had actually thought it worthwhile trusting Duke Crocker. He had actually believed that Duke simply wanted to spend time with him. 

Then the coast guard showed up and he realised he was just there for his badge.

Well, he would not make that mistake again, and he also would not let Duke get away with it lightly. 

Duke was a strong fighter; was strong in general. But Nathan was not so bad either and it was an even fight for a while.

Then Duke landed a punch hard on the side of Nathan's head. He saw it coming; it was fast and he couldn't move out of the way in time. He saw his vision shift as the punch moved his head to the side. But it didn't slow him down as much as he expected; Duke must be slacking.

“Was that supposed to hurt?” he jeered, “You're starting to lose it!”

After Duke got another good punch in and that didn't slow Nathan down either he felt like there was going to be now doubt as to the winner of the fight. Then somehow his legs gave way under him of their own accord, and he found himself on the floor.

“Nate are you OK?”

“One, you don't get to call me that. Two, you don't get to ask me that.”

Duke held his hands up, in surrender or apology, “OK, but that cut on your head looks really bad. I don't want to really hurt you.”

Nathan grunted his disbelief at that, but brought his hand to his head all the same. “What cut?” he asked.

“Right there,” Duke said, watching Nathan's fingers slip through the blood. “Don't you feel it?”

Nathan opened his mouth to accuse Duke of lying, of playing more tricks on him, but no sound made it out because that was when he realised he couldn't feel anything at all.


	16. “I can explain.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #domestic fluff

“Ah, shit!”

“What the hell Nate?”

“Sorry. I can explain.”

“OK…?”

“I … actually, no. I can’t really. I just wanted to cook you something, and then a call came in and I was talking to the station and …”

“And you managed to burn … something … beyond all recognition. What was this?”

“Was going to be a casserole.”

Duke peered into the blackened pan. “You couldn’t even identify this from dental records.”

“I’ll buy you a new one.”

“Too right you will. How is it even possible to burn something this badly? The pan is completely ruined.”

“I know. That’s why I’m buying you a new one.”

“Just maybe … don’t try to cook anything in it, OK?”

“Just feel bad leaving all the cooking to you all the time.”

“Well, no. This is what you should feel bad for. Cooking, I like. Feeding you, I like. It’s a win-win situation Nate. If it makes you feel better you can wash up later. Now stand aside so I can figure out something to cook that does not require use of that pan, or any of the ingredients you’ve so callously murdered.” He smiled at Nate to let him know he was only annoyed rather than actually angry.

Nathan held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “I swear I will not try to cook anything ever again. Except maybe pancakes; those I can do.”

“OK. Pancakes are the only permitted exception,” nodded Duke, his head in the fridge.

“Still gonna try and get you hot and steamy later tho’,” joked Nathan.

Duke peered around the fridge door at him. “OK, firstly; that line is far too cheesy for you to be allowed near it in this kitchen. Secondly,” he added with a smirk, “I hope you’re going to do more than just _try_.”


	17. “Love is overrated.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke - kind of #unacknowledged feelings

“Do you ever think you want more?”

“What like a _relationship_?” Duke asked her.

“Like, I don’t know; something more.”

Duke dismissed Audrey’s implication with a shake of his head. “Love is overrated,” he said. “This way it’s simple.”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I just see the two of you, snarking at each other all the time; fighting. Keeping away from each other in public as much as possible, and OK if you get some great sex out of that, then fair enough, but …”

“ _Great_ sex,” Duke clarified. “Amaaaazing sex.”

“... but it seems kinda lonely to me,” she finished, ignoring his interruption. “You both seem kinda lonely, and it seems like you could fix that for each other, if you would just sit down and have a sensible conversation.”

“You’re missing the point Audrey. Perhaps I could have a sensible conversation with him, if I tried. But given the choice between a probably-painful conversation with someone who doesn’t really want to talk to you, and definitely-amazing sex with someone who absolutely does want to fuck you; which would you choose?”

“What makes you think he doesn’t want to talk to you?” she asked.

“Hmmm, well let’s see; every conversation I’ve ever had with him, ever?”

“But he’s just like that with everyone. He doesn’t use a lot of words, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like the conversation.”

“He doesn’t like me Audrey; I’m a criminal, remember? Not to be trusted. Even if I wanted it …” - _which you do,_ Audrey thought to herself - “... that ‘something more’ isn’t an option, believe me.”

She nodded to acknowledge what he was saying, thinking _We’ll just see about that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 18 kind of follows on from this one.


	18. “Watch me.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke - kind of #pre-nuke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of follows on from chapter 17.

It was a pleasant evening outside the Gull, and Audrey was enjoying a drink on the deck with Claire when she saw Nathan leave the building. She frowned, having not realised he had even arrived in the first place, and feeling that there was only one person who would prompt him to storm off like that.

Claire noticed the frown (of course she did) and followed her gaze just in time to see Nathan’s bronco leaving the car park. “Are you not getting along with your partner?” she asked.

Audrey shook her head, “It’s not  _ me. _ It’s him and Duke, they … it seems obvious to me that they’re totally in love with each other, but they won’t admit it even to themselves. Duke’s convinced himself the fuck-buddy arrangement is the better deal, and Nathan won’t even talk about it at all.”

“They’re sleeping together?” Claire asked, surprised.

“Yeah, except, I probably shouldn’t have told you that.”

“Hey, I can keep a secret,” Claire assured her.

“Right. Thanks. It’s just, it’s infuriating. They just … there are these sparks of antagonism whenever they’re in the same room together, it’s hard to even have a civil conversation, but …”

“But it’s not just the bad kind of spark between them then.”

“No, and if they would just stop lying to themselves, maybe they would be able to see the truth of how the other feels about them.”

“You say that like you’re going to make it happen, but if they don’t want to address it, you can’t necessarily make them, you know.”

“Oh yeah?  _ Watch me _ .”


	19. “I’ve missed this.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff #nukefluff

“Is it really only a week you were gone? I’ve missed this.”

“Feels like longer,” agreed Nathan. “I missed _this_ ,” he added, running his fingers through Duke’s hair, pulling it out of its ponytail.

“Hmm, I missed _this_ ,” Duke responded, pulling Nathan tight to him with his hands on his ass.

Nathan laughed. “I missed _this_ , and _this_ , and _this_ ,” he said, dotting kisses on Duke’s cheek, neck, collarbone.

“I missed _this_ ,” said Duke, running his hands over Nathan’s shoulders and down his spine.

They kissed then, done with talking for a moment. When they broke apart to look each other in the eye again, it was Nathan who spoke first. “I missed _you_ ,” he said.


	20. “I don’t believe you.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke snarking #canon-compliant

Duke was having a bad day. It was only little things, but everything that could go wrong, did. Then Detective Wuornos turned up, proving the point.

“Where were you around 10pm last night?”

“Hello Nathan, yes I'm having a great day, thanks for asking.”

Nathan had the decency to look just a little caught out, but all he said was, “Just answer the question.”

“I was here, on my own, catching up on some reading, then I had an early night.”

“I don't believe you.”

“Well, I'm not sure what I can do about that to be honest. Why do you want to know anyway?”

“In relation to an ongoing police investigation,” Nathan recited.

“Yeah, right. I don't believe you. This wouldn't have anything to do with what happened over at the Rust Bucket would it?”

Nathan didn't respond, but Duke didn't need words to see that he was right.

“Thought so. I had nothing to do with that.”

“Then how did you know…?”

“This is my town too, Nathan. Just because I know about something doesn't mean I'm guilty of it. Now either arrest me or leave, I've got stuff to do.”


	21. “Sometimes, being a complete nerd comes in handy.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #gen #fluff #(and angst in the notes at the end)

It’s Quiz Night at the Gull and for some reason they ended up with this boys vs girls concept for their teams; Nathan, Dwight, Vince and Dave against Audrey, Claire, Jennifer and Gloria. There are other teams there, of course, but the eight of them are all focused on their boys vs girls match.

Duke, in his role as quiz master, is watching with amusement, making bets with himself about which team is going to win. It’s going to be a close thing, he can see that much.

And it is close; so close in fact that they’re neck and neck for first place and he has to pull out a tie-break question. He looks at it and knows who’s going to answer first.

“What brand of beer do Captain Kirk and Gillian drink at the pizza parlor in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?” he reads out.

Nathan has his hand in the air before he’s even finished, and Duke knows his answer’s going to match that on the card. He glances at the girls team to see if there are any takers, but they're stumped; which is fair enough, it's a pretty obscure question.

“Michelob,” said Nathan.

Duke nodded, “Sometimes, being a complete nerd comes in handy I guess. Well done to the winning team!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not know that much about Star Trek, but I am moderately capable with Google ;) [www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jul/19/the-toughest-star-trek-film-quiz-in-the-known-universe](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jul/19/the-toughest-star-trek-film-quiz-in-the-known-universe) (I scored a measley 5 out of 20, and some of those were lucky guesses :D )
> 
> But surely Nathan does, because someone taught Audrey about tricorders, and why wouldn't a boy who couldn't feel and who'd just lost his mom, be interested in a sci-fi future where anything can be fixed and no one gets ill?


	22. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #angst #post-fishing trip angst

“Nathan, are you OK? You've been in every night this week and you're putting a lot of beer away. What's going on?”

“I don't owe you an explanation,” Nathan spat out in between getting on with his beer.

“Well, no, but I mean, are you OK? Did something happen?”

_ Yeah, you happened _ , Nathan thought.  _ You and your stupid fishing trip. _ But for a reply he just glared.

“Did you lose your job or something, because how are you not feeling the hangovers in the morning?”

_ Right. That's what you're really worried about, isn't it; your pet cop might not be a cop any more. Well maybe it's just the pet part that's changed.  _ “Leave me alone, Duke. I can find somewhere else to drink if you don't want the custom.”


	23. “We have to be quiet.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #threegulls fluff #domestic fluff

“OK sshhhh. SSSSHHHH!” Duke ssshh’ed Nathan so loudly he contradicted his own instruction. “We have to be quiet!” he added somewhat redundantly.

Nathan just glared a slightly wobbly glare at him, refraining from pointing out how drunk Duke was, since he was only a drink or two behind himself.

They staggered up the stairs outside the Gull, leaning on each other as Duke continued to ssshhh! at Nathan, despite the fact he was not actually talking.

And then they were outside the apartment door, and leaning on the wall as they fished in their pockets for keys.

“Damn ‘t,” muttered Nathan. Surely he'd had his keys at the beginning of the evening, how could he have lost them.

Another _ssshhh!_ came from Duke in a slightly ridiculous stage whisper, “We don't want to wake Audrey,” he added.

At that point the door opened, and they looked round to see Audrey dressed in her PJs and with her latest cheesy vampire novel in hand.

“You two quite alright there?” she asked. “Nice boys night out?”

“Sorry t’ wake you,” said Nathan.

“I wasn't asleep yet,” pointed out Audrey, holding up the novel as evidence. 

“We were trying to be _very quiet,_  only our keys escaped,” explained Duke, very seriously.

Audrey smiled as she put down her book and led them to the bed. “OK, well, we'll sort that out in the morning. I think it's time to sleep now.”

“Had a nice evening out,” said Nathan, “but glad to come home to you.”

“Yes,” agreed Duke, “very glad.”

Audrey smiled and pulled the covers over the three of them. “I love you both too,” she said. “Now sleep.”

But they were already snoring.


	24. “You’re trembling.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #high-school nuke #smut(ish)

“Here,” Duke passed Nathan a towel. “You have fun?” he asked.

“Yeah, thanks for teaching me,” Nathan replied as he ran it through his hair.

“Hey no problem. There's nothing like a bit of time on a surfboard to get over a shitty day at school or whatever.”

Nathan nodded, trying not to look too closely (trying also not to look like he wasn't looking) as Duke peeled off his wetsuit and started to dry off his skin.

It was getting colder now and they were huddled in the shelter of the cliff, making use of the only small space out of the wind.

“So you come here every day?” Nathan asked.

“Not every day. Depends on the weather. And school too; sometimes I study,” he added with a grin; he was well aware of his reputation as a lay-about who'd never read a book in his life. But Nathan was starting to realise that's just what it was; a carefully crafted reputation that didn't really match up to the actual person. Like most reputations he supposed.

“I'm starting to think you study plenty. You just don't care what the teachers think do you? What anyone thinks. Or what results you get.”

Duke considered this as he pulled on his shoes. “I don't care what the teachers think,” he agreed. “Results, I'm ambivalent about. But I do care what some people think of me.”

Nathan turned to ask what he meant by that cryptic comment and found Duke standing much closer to him than he'd realised, closer even than the confines of their little shelter from the weather required.

“I do care what you think of me,” Duke said. When Nathan didn't respond, Duke brought a cautious hand to Nathan's jaw. “You're trembling,” he said noticing.

“‘s cold,” muttered Nathan, but he made no move to put on the sweater he held in one hand.

Duke shifted forward and Nathan moved with him a little; pressing them further into the bend of the cliff and further out of sight of the few other people still around.

“It's not that cold,” said Duke gently, shifting forward closer still; leaning in for a kiss.

“No,” agreed Nathan, and watched Duke move towards him, his eyes flicking to Duke’s lips as Duke ran his thumb along Nathan's jaw. Duke moved slowly; slowly enough to make his intentions clear, slowly enough that Nathan had plenty of time to move away if he wanted.

Nathan dropped the sweater and brought his hands up to Duke as he closed the remaining gap and pulled him into a kiss.


	25. “I want an answer, goddammit!”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #smut

“I couldn't really say, officer,” said Duke again.

“Damn it Duke, don't ‘officer’ me. I've known you too long. Something is going on with you, and a lot of people seem to think it has something to do with me, Audrey included.”

“Yeah well, even Audrey has been wrong on occasion.”

“You're so good at evading the question, slipping around unnoticed. I could just let this go and everything would carry on as before, but … that doesn't seem like a good idea and … I want an answer goddammit!”

Duke sighed, realising he wasn't getting out of this. “OK fine. It's not an easy thing to say, but maybe I can show you. Just … don't blame me if you don't like the answer.”

“Fine.”

“Fine. Just stay there, don't move.”

“Fine.”

His heart bashing itself against his chest, Duke took a step forward, and another, until he was stood right in front of Nathan. And Nathan stood there and didn't say a thing, though his expression changed as Duke got closer, changed again as he stood there in a charged silence.

Duke moved closer still, his lips an inch from Nathan's. “Still want to know what's going on with me?” he breathed.

He waited to see if Nathan was going to say something, or move away. All it would take would be one step backwards; the moment would be broken and they would go back to that ‘carrying on as before’ option. Nathan didn't move, but he muttered something that was probably a ‘Yes’.

Duke left it a moment longer, then brought his lips to Nathan's for the mearest touch of a kiss.

“Huh,” said Nathan.

“So there you have it. You can step away now and we'll pretend this never happened if you like. Or you can stay exactly where you are and I'll do it again.”

Nathan muttered something that might have been ‘Fine’ but he didn't move. Duke leant forward for another kiss, pressing his lips to Nathan's a little longer this time.

Nathan didn't kiss back, but then he looked at Duke like his world suddenly made so much more sense. Duke kissed him again, bringing his hand to Nathan's jaw and pushing into Nathan's mouth with his tongue. It took just a few seconds for Nathan to respond - a fraction of time longer and Duke would have stepped away, the moment lost - and then he was kissing back, hard, tongues and hands and lips everywhere.

“So,” said Duke a little later, his lips so close as to be almost still pressed against Nathan's, “the answer wasn't so bad then.”

“Goddammit Duke,” Nathan said fondly, and pulled him close for another kiss.


	26. “It was you the whole time.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff

“I can't quite believe this, you know?”

Nathan nodded. He did know. “All those years fighting, avoiding each other. All those arguments…”

“All those other relationships, stupid one night stands. Although, you didn't do that so much?” said Duke realising.

He pushed his head up off the pillow and rolled over onto his side to get a closer look at Nathan. “You spent a lot of those years on your own, now that I think about it.”

Nathan looked up at Duke with that little half-smile of his. “Duke,” he said fondly, “It was you the whole time. No one else ever came close.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 27 follows on from this one


	27. “Tell me again.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follows on from chapter 26

“Tell me again.”

“It was you the whole time.”


	28. “This is why we can’t have nice things.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #or threegulls #domestic fluff

Duke sighed, sweeping up another broken plate where the newest, overexcitable addition to the family had knocked it off the coffee table.

“This is why we can't have nice things,” he joked as Nathan came into the room.

Nathan studied the scene. “Perhaps we just shouldn't have a tail-height coffee table and a happy dog in the same space?”


	29. “I’m not going anywhere.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #i don't know what #stubbornness in the face of potential death?

“Nate! You need to get out of here! They’ll be back soon and we can’t fight them like this. You need to go tell Audrey what’s going on.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“No sense in us both dying, you can get out now and then …”

“I am not leaving you to be ravaged by … whatever those things were, on your own.”

“Nate, you can’t …”

“Don’t tell me what to do. I am not going anywhere without you and that’s all there is to it.”


	30. “You don’t see me.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #angsty-snarking #Claire the therapist AU

“You don't see me,” complained Duke. “You just see the criminal, the boy who stuck tacks in your back.”

“You don't see me! Don't see past the badge. You should know why I do this job, what it means to me, but you just … talk like it's nothing. A game.”

“I don't… OK, I don't respect your job, but you don't respect who I _am_. And you should know what my freedom means to me!”

“OK, that's good,” said Claire, eager to keep the session under control. “That's a good start. Why don't we talk more about that. Duke, do you want to talk more about what your lifestyle means to you?”

Duke turned to Nathan. “You know why I don't want to turn into my Dad, why I always wanted to find my own path in life, find a life that I could be in control of. Don't you seen how important it is to me that I've done that?”

“Guess, when you put it like that,” admitted Nathan reluctantly.

“And Nathan?” asked Claire, “You were happy to follow in your Dad's footsteps?”

Nathan shrugged, “Tradition I guess, continuity. Feels good to be part of something.”

“So you have very different approaches to life, but can you understand the other's?”

“Yeah,” said Nathan, nodding. “Worth remembering.”

“Yeah I guess so,” agreed Duke.

“OK. We'll finish there for today, but can we also agree that therapy is helping?”


	31. “I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fishing-trip angst

Nathan shifted his weight in the boat, and the fishing rod in his hands. “So really Duke, what brought you back to Haven after all these years?”

Duke hesitated, thinking,  _ I can't keep kissing strangers and pretending that they're you _ . “I … lots of things I guess, but I did want to never s…”

He stopped, surprised; the coast guard were pulling up next to them.


	32. “You could have died.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff-angst?

“You could have died, Duke. I'd never forgive myself.”

“You think I'd do any better if it had been you?”


	33. “Prove it.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff #snark-fluff

“I don't  _ hate _ you Duke,” said Nathan, exasperated. 

“Prove it,” Duke replied, unconvinced. 

Nathan huffed his frustration, opened his mouth to speak, but decided actions would speak louder than words. He took two steps forwards, right into Duke’s space, brought his hands to Duke’s jaw, and kissed him, hard.

“I don't  _ hate _ you,” he said again when he finally let Duke up for air.

“Oh,” replied Duke quietly. He looked back at Nathan, studying his eyes for a moment. “Oh!” he said again and then pulled him forward for another kiss.


	34. “I might never get another chance to say this.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke snark-fluff #post-series AU

“So the refurbishment starts tomorrow, huh?”

“Yeah, we'll be closed for a month. Has to be done though, this place may have survived the Troubles, but the following ten years of drunken tourists has worn the edges off. It's time for a new look.”

“Then I might never get another chance to say this; I always hated that painting by the door,” said Nathan, gesturing towards it with a nod of his head.

“What? That's the finest painting … actually I have no idea where that came from. Possibly that's been there since this was the Second Chance Bistro.”

“Definitely time for a new look.”

“Yeah shut up. I'm going to wrap that thing up and give it to you for Christmas.”


	35. “Do you regret it?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #threegulls #fluff

“So let me get this straight,” asked Nathan, amused. “The two of you almost got together that time in Colorado, but you turned him down because of me?”

“Well, yeah. I'm sorry, I should have told you before," said Audrey, "it's just…”

Nathan looked from one side of the bed to the other, taking in both Audrey and Duke’s faces. “It's OK, you don't need to apologise. I mean, I'm just… you _turned him down._ Look at him. That took some doing.”

Audrey laughed out loud. “Well, it was a close thing,” she admitted.

“Do you regret it?”

Audrey looked at her two lovers, took their hands in hers, “It worked out in the end,” she said with a smile.


	36. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke snark-fluff #unacknowledged feelings #audrey makes them talk

“OK look, I am fed up with the two of you snarking at each other all the time and if you’re not going to tell me what’s going on between you then I’m going to draw my own conclusion, which is that you both fancy the pants off each other and are too scared to do anything about it.”

Duke and Nathan’s protestations at being told they should talk through their issues were swiftly forgotten at Audrey’s sudden change of tack, and they both stood there in silence, neither of them quite sure where to look.

“Tell me I’m wrong.”

Nathan gave her a kind of pleading look, but neither of them spoke.

“OK, so then are you going to act like grown men and do something about it, or are you just going to snark at each other forever? And here’s a hint; permanent snarking is not an option.”

Nathan looked up then, and found Duke looking back at him. “You know she’s not going to let this drop,” said Nathan.

“You’ll be happier for it in the long-run,” Audrey added.

“You know she’s usually right,” added Duke and took a step closer to Nathan.

“OK then,” said Audrey, watching the look on Nathan’s face change. “I’m going out for a while. When I come back I expect civil conversation to be an option.”

Nathan took a step towards Duke, “‘K,” he mumbled.

Audrey’s heart melted as she left, the need for stern words gone now that she could see the way they were looking at each other. _Maybe I won’t come back until tomorrow,_ she thought.


	37. “Lie to me then.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #Audrey and Duke in Colorado #not smut though #just Duke being perceptive #and being Duke

“I don't know what to tell you Audrey, I don't know if it's going to be OK.”

“Lie to me then.”

Duke paused, reigned in the smartass comment on the tip of his tongue and tried what she'd asked for. “Tomorrow, we will leave Colorado and go back to Haven, where Nathan, Vince and Dave will have found some ancient reference to the Hunter which means that no one has to disappear for 27 years, the Troubles will be over, Nathan will be able to feel again, and you will be able to make a free choice about… who to be with, without having to wonder how much of why Nathan wants you is that you're the only person he can feel and without having to worry that your choice might… further estrange two old friends.”

“Sounds good,” Audrey said, and then added, “I ever tell you you're too perceptive for your own good?”

“No but I suspect you might be about to.”

“Thanks Duke.”

“For lying to you?”

“For being here for me.”

“Hey. That is not conditional on the Troubles ending. Or not ending. Or whatever choice you might make with regard to certain… relationship options you might have. I'm here for you whatever Audrey. You don't have to worry about me.”

“Thanks Duke.”


	38. “You’ve thought about this, haven’t you?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #threegulls fluff #nathan and audrey talking about duke #duke and his flirting

“Does he seem especially flirty today?”

“Who, Duke?”

“Yes, Nathan, Duke. He's making a special effort to be charming I think.”

“He's just playing the good host for our anniversary meal. Anyway, he's always flirted with you.”

“Yes but it's not just me he's directing it at, is it?”

Nathan felt his cheeks grow red as Audrey looked at him for an answer.

“Ah, so you had noticed.”

“Well, he's just being Duke. He doesn't  _ mean  _ it.”

“What if he does though?”

“Well, what…?” Nathan frowned at himself. “I mean I know there's always been  _ something _ between the two of you, but you're suggesting the  _ three _ of us?”

“Well I don't know, maybe. I see the looks between the two of you when you think no one's watching, and they don't all come from him. We're all consenting adults, why shouldn't we have some fun together?”

“Well I … it would be …” Nathan was too surprised to respond properly, but Audrey realised he was surprised she was suggesting it, but not so much at the concept itself.

“Come on,” she said. “You've thought about this, haven't you? I know I have.”

“I …? You …?”

“Thought about what?” asked Duke, as he came back to pour them more wine.

Audrey took a fork full of her meal, leaving Nathan to respond. Her look to him said,  _ You have a decision to make. _


	39. “We need to talk about what happened last night.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff

“We need to talk about what happened last night.”

“Is that the part where you drunkenly professed your undying love for me, or the part where you broke a bottle of whiskey and scared off half my customers?”

“Both?”


	40. “I never stood a chance, did I?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #threegulls #smutfluff #naudrey + duke

Duke’s breathing gradually slowed as his moans died in his ears. He leant back against the pillows, stuttered out a little laugh. “That was … fantastic,” he observed to the warm and similarly-satisfied bodies either side of him.

“Don’t need to sound quite so surprised,” said Nathan.

“We could get offended,” joked Audrey.

Duke looked at the way they were looking at each other and realised the evening he had thought an unexpected spur-of-the-moment thing, had in fact been nothing of the sort. “You planned this from the start! I never stood a chance, did I?” he asked.

For an answer, they just grinned, knowing he would return the smile.


	41. “I feel like I can’t breathe.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #threegulls or naudrey #angst #barn-related angst #AU

“She's  _ gone _ Duke. She's not  _ dead, _ she's just  _ gone.” _

“I know. I didn't think she would. I don't know what changed her mind, but she obviously thought it was worth it. She helped Haven, like she always wanted; the Troubles are gone. You can feel again, right?” he added, suddenly confused.

“The Troubles aren't gone though are they; just paused for 27 years. And then they'll be back and so will she, but she won't recognise us. And yes, my Trouble is gone, but without her here I just feel like I can't breathe.”


	42. “I’m only here to establish an alibi.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #threegulls fluff #nuke snarking

The backdoor of the car opened and closed quietly, but the occupants in the front seat still noticed.

Nathan rolled his eyes, “This is stake-out Duke, not…”

“I brought coffee, and pancake-flavoured cupcakes,” Duke said quickly.

Nathan hesitated, he was kinda hungry, and those looked good. “OK fine. But that doesn't mean you get to annoy us all night. And you're not going to get much conversation either, this is a serious operation…”

“Hey, I know. I'm only here to establish an alibi.”

Nathan frowned at him, unsure how literally to take this. Audrey smiled at what she regarded as an obvious lie, and took the nearest cupcake. “Thanks Duke.”


	43. “Are you drunk?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff-angst

“Nate? What are you doing here? Are you drunk?”

Nathan considered these questions carefully. “Yes, See you, and Yes.”

“O..K… I know it’s a bar, but you don’t _have_ to be drunk to be here you know.”

“Smart ass. Stop bein’ so smart all t’time. Came to _talk_.”

“OK. And that requires being drunk? Did something happen?” Duke shifted from bemusement to concern. “Is Audrey OK?”

“What? N’thing happened. ‘S not about Audrey.”

“OK. Then what is it about? Why do you need to be drunk to talk to me?”

“‘Cause I want to _say_.”

Duke realised his questions weren’t helping and decided to stay quiet until Nathan had managed enough words to give him a clue as to what was going on.

“Want to say what I could’n' say before. Tried, but … ‘s difficult.”

Those few words hadn’t made things much clearer, but something about the way Nathan had said them made Duke’s stomach flip.

“What’s difficult Nate?”

“You! You’re … you … and it’s just so… how am I supposed to …”

Nathan had been leaning against the wall and he stepped forward but misjudged it and would have fallen, but Duke was right there to catch him.

“See? There you are again … being all … helpful .. and gorgeous and … how do you always smell so good?”

Duke froze, not really sure how to respond to this from Nathan when he was so drunk as to be barely conscious. Not sure how to respond to this from Nathan at all really. He’d thought the man hated him.

“It’s bad when I’m helpful?” he ventured, trying to maneuver Nathan towards a chair.

“‘S confusing! You … you’re supposed to be a criminal, I’m s’posed t’be arresting you! What ‘m I s’posed to do when you _help_?”


	44. “I still remember the way you taste.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #angst

It had been a nasty Trouble and a difficult day and they had all finished it off with a drink too many at the Gull. With none of them fit to drive, they all staggered up the stairs to Audrey’s apartment and Duke helped Nathan to the sofa. He collapsed down onto it, asleep almost before he even hit the cushions, despite the awkward angle. Maybe there were some advantages to no sense of feeling Duke thought.

Audrey had disappeared into the bathroom and Duke found himself sat there on the floor by the sofa, by Nathan. There was a blanket on the arm chair; Duke stood and draped it over him. Even if he couldn’t feel it, getting cold wouldn’t help him rest.

Duke watched him sleeping for a while, arranged the blanket a bit better and risked a quick glance of his finger along Nathan’s jaw.

“I still remember the way you taste,” he said to the sleeping man.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Audrey stood next to him. She put her hand on Duke’s shoulder. “You should tell him,” she said.


	45. “How much of that did you hear?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #angst #unacknowledged feelings #audrey prompts some kind of confessions

“But I can’t … he just … it drives me mad because he keeps putting himself in danger, and I can’t … I can’t tell him to stop because we need him, but … it’s not his job and … I can’t … I can’t bear the thought of something happening to him is what.”

“I know,” replied Audrey carefully. “We probably rely on him too much. But he can look after himself, and this is his town too, he’s involved in this as much as we are.”

“I know but I just … couldn’t bear it if something happened to him. He’s …” Nathan shook his head in frustration.

“He’s more than just an old friend to you, isn’t he?” asked Audrey gently.

Nathan nodded glumly.

“You should talk to him,” she suggested.

“I …” Nathan turned as he spoke, intending to tell Audrey how difficult that was. He turned past the doorway, and then he turned back to it; Duke was standing there.

“How … how much of that did you hear?” Nathan asked him.

“Enough,” said Duke.

“I’m going to leave you two to talk,” said Audrey slipping past Duke and out of the door.

They stood there staring at each other, and barely noticed her go.


	46. “What happens if I do this?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> # three gulls # smut

Nathan was tied to the bed, spreadeagled and naked, a limb in each corner. Audrey and Duke were taking much delight in teasing him; celebrating the end of his Trouble, or so they said. He was starting to think they just liked seeing him squirm.

Audrey ran a feather down his chest, over his stomach, and along his cock, making him whine and moan at the same time. Duke ran a fingernail down his ribs, his hip and down the outside of his leg to his ankle.

“Hmm,” Duke said to Audrey, “We hadn’t even got to his feet yet.” He took the feather from her and brought it to the sole of Nathan’s foot. “What happens if I do this?” he asked, as he stroked it along Nathan’s newly sensitive skin.

“God you’re going to kill me,” moaned Nathan a moment later.

“Should we stop?” asked Audrey.

“God no,” replied Nathan, and Duke moved to the other foot.


	47. “Why are you whispering?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #smut-fluff

It's a busy night in the Gull, and Nathan sits at the end of the bar. Duke appears and slips onto the bar stool next to him, leaning close to say a quiet hello into his ear.

“Why are you whispering?” asks Nathan. 

“So I can tell you all the filthy things I want to do to you, without my staff over-hearing.”

Nathan's heart skips a beat and his grip tightens on his beer bottle, trying not to give the game away as he listens.


	48. “You make me want things I can’t have.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> # nuke # angst

“You make me want things I can’t have,” said Nathan.

“Like what?” asked Duke, puzzled.

Nathan put the glass of whiskey down, reached his hand across the table towards Duke a little way, then balled it into a fist as he glared at his own skin.

“Things I can’t feel,” he clarified.


	49. “I don’t want to screw this up.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> # three gulls # smut

“I don’t want to screw this up,” said Nathan. “I haven’t … I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“It’s OK,” said Audrey from the bed. “That doesn’t matter.”

“We’ll look after you,” Duke added, and stretched out a hand towards him.


	50. “People are staring.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #nuke #fluff

It was the kind of kiss to get lost in, the kind of kiss that feels like it’s never going to end. When it eventually did, they hugged, pulled themselves close together, holding each other tight to stretch out this moment that almost never was, and confirm all the feelings they’d so nearly never told each other.

“Um, Nate? It’s not that I’m complaining about the big romantic gesture or anything, but people are staring.” It wasn’t that Duke minded about that either, but he figured Nathan might.

“So?” asked Nathan, “Let them stare,” and he pulled Duke into another kiss to rival the first.

**Author's Note:**

> I would love you to quote some numbers (or some words!) at me if you have any favourites. Or anything you'd like to see more of.


End file.
